Podcast by Dee

I’d like to open my first podcast with a childhood memory that has endured in my heart for over 50 years. Yes, this is a memory from kindergarten — and it is the cornerstone for why kindness and advocacy are core values in my life.

Every Friday night for 8 years, I played outfield for an adult co-ed softball team. It began when a friend called me up, out of the blue, to say they needed a woman to equalize the number of male and female players on the field.

He said, “I recall you were a pretty good ball player. Would you like to play?”

In the last three episodes, I introduced you to my early childhood. Obviously, I was a bit serious and introspective – even as a five-year-old. To be honest, I’m not sure if I was born that way or if my physical disability brought those personality traits to the forefront as a survival tactic.

It was a hot summer day in 2014. After months of brainstorming ways to advocate for folks with hearing loss, I was ready to take a big leap.

But as an introvert, reaching out to strangers was unnerving. A bit daunting for sure.

Just to be clear, I’m usually fine with one-on-one interactions. Small talk can be tedious for introverts, but if the topic of conversation is something we adore, we could talk your ears off….All.Week.Long.

EP010: Trailblazers, Mentors and Social Change Leaders

So, I’d like to reflect on what it takes to be a trailblazer, a mentor or a social change leader.

For 7 years, I’ve followed the work of individuals whose courage, wisdom and leadership have inspired me. And here are my reflections of these people.

They work at it. They persevere. They walk the talk — Every Dang Day.

These are individuals with their own backstories, their own struggles, and their own hard-earned wisdom.

These folks listened to their hearts. Through hard work, they found their respective calling in life. Now, this is not for the faint of heart, as the path is often treacherous with uncertainty and difficulties. But they prevailed in their discovery.

EP012: My Conversation with Kaden of Catskill Animal Sanctuary

Duration: 11:26 Minutes

While vacationing at the Homestead B&B at Catskill Animal Sanctuary, I booked a tour to get a close-up experience with some of the animals. Kaden was my tour guide. His knowledge and compassion impressed me.

EP013: VegFest of Central Florida

Duration: 11:57 Minutes

Enjoyed my day at the Central Florida VegFest. It is my three-year anniversary of launching my vegan advocacy. I reflect on folks who helped me find my courage to advocate. After this 2018 VegFest, I am so stoked for the future of plant-based living. What a great community in this global social-change movement.

EP014: Marc S. Wood: The Power of Plant-Based Living

Duration: 20:11 Minutes

Here’s my chat with Marc S. Wood who is a Certified Plant-Based Nutritionist. Marc studied at Cornell University (taking the T. Colin Campbell nutrition course). He earned his Family Health Coaching Certification from the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute. This was a delightful chat. You may find Marc at http://marcswood.com/

Duration: 8:00 minutes

My Christmas Wish is that we bring compassion, love, and kindness to our daily lives. Let gratitude be our guide to sharing positive and kind energy with those around us. Let’s get off autopilot. Let’s share the goodness from within our hearts. It will change the world.

Duration: 4:32 Minutes

What a year!

It seems fitting that this was my fifth year as an advocate. I increased my efforts each year for five years. This year, I took the biggest leap of all: I started my podcast and blog. This creative effort required several things of me: Be brave. Use my talents and skills. Speak my truths.

And oh, what a glorious and magnificent feeling this is! I wish you could feel the gratitude in my heart. Oh, wait! But you could!

Duration: 17 Minutes

Hello everyone, so as an animal lover and now an advocate for animal rights, I’ve always been interested in the peaceful protest and the street activism on behalf of animals. However, as an introvert, that is not a place where I am comfortable participating in street activism, but I’d like to share with you a group called Anonymous for the Voiceless – and you may find them on social media.

Duration: 31 Minutes

Delighted to have Michael Harren on my show. He is a multi-media artist, musician, podcaster, vegan and animal advocate. His book, The Animal Book, is a wonderful introduction to advocacy. His Mikeypod podcast is a delightful collection of diverse and compassionate folks who are helping to make our world a better place.

Duration: 21 Minutes

Animals. Let’s visit with the animals!

Come with me and I’ll introduce you to the big family of rescued-farmed animals of Catskill Animal Sanctuary.

Located in the Hudson Valley of New York, rolling hills and 148 acres are the backdrops for over 300 rescued animals who live here surrounded by love, safety, and friendship. I saw it for myself in 2018. This place is real. This is a healing place.

Duration: 5 Minutes

Recently while Googling Susan Cain, who is the well-known expert on Introverts, I found her interview by Tim Ferriss (his podcast episode 357). I was enthralled by the questions Tim and Susan ask each other about their own Introversion. This is a fascinating hour and a half long conversation. Very helpful for both men and women to hear how others handle living in an extroverted world. Also excellent discussion about their writing process and their individual strategies.

Duration: 13 Minutes

This is a story about compassion for our feathered friends. As a child, I sat by my grandmom as she taught me about songbirds. She would say: “Listen, Dee… that’s a cardinal.” And she sang back to the birds as they visited her South Carolina yard. Bird lovers know how extraordinary and intelligent our winged friends are. This story comes from my heart – forged from the gratitude of many precious years with grandmom.

Duration: 15 minutes

Sometimes we are lucky to find a place that offers a beautiful, peaceful retreat from our busy lives. The Homestead Inn at Catskill Animal Sanctuary is where I go to reset, restore, and rejuvenate my energy.

Located in Upstate New York, the Homestead Inn is comfortable, charming, and convenient to the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River.

Duration: 36 minutes

Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Upstate New York offers a vegan program called Compassionate Cuisine.

Chef Linda Soper-Kolton is the director of this educational platform that presents cooking classes, tasting events, and seasonal offerings.

Linda is a delight as she shares the many steps of self-growth that led to this exciting adventure at the sanctuary. A self-professed introvert, Linda reveals how she offers nutritious plant-based food as a heartfelt way to connect with others.

The sanctuary’s new vegan cookbook is now available for purchase at CASanctuary.org.

My Mission:

Since becoming an advocate in 2014, I’ve learned a few things along the way. This is my on-going story as I take my advocacy to a new level.